Whelan challenges Sven

WIGAN chairman Dave Whelan advises Sven-Goran Eriksson to either "put up or shut up", after offering his full support to the Premier League's `bung' inquiry. WIGAN chairman Dave Whelan advises Sven-Goran Eriksson to either "put up or shut up", after offering his full support to the Premier League's `bung' inquiry.

WIGAN chairman Dave Whelan advises Sven-Goran Eriksson to either "put up or shut up", after offering his full support to the Premier League's `bung' inquiry.

Earlier this week the league announced the launch of an inquiry into transfers since January 2004, with chief executive Richard Scudamore hoping one outcome will be that future deals are more "transparent".

Scudamore denied the inquiry is on the back of the allegations made by Luton manager Mike Newell and QPR boss Ian Holloway, or Eriksson's claim of transfer impropriety to an undercover reporter.

Instead, Scudamore insists the matter has been "building and building" thanks to the "great deal of speculation regarding alleged irregular payments in transfer dealings".

The Premier League are hoping outgoing England manager Eriksson will assist them, even though they have no power to insist he does.

But Whelan feels the Premier League should take Eriksson to task over his accusations.

"We've had telephone calls from the Premier League this week asking if we would support them, and I absolutely support them," he said.

"As far as I know, I've never known of a bung in the Premier League; none of our people has been offered it, and neither have we offered one.

"We pay agents, of course; we all pay agents, but it's all declared. It's part and parcel of a contract.

"But for bungs, there's nothing I know of - although I don't think the England manager should have mentioned it in the first place - not unless he can prove it.

Proof

"I would say to the Premier League `tell him to prove it - either put up or shut up'."

Latics manager Paul Jewell, meanwhile, has warned Manchester United his side will not be in Cardiff for next month's Carling Cup final just for "a great day out".

Unsurprisingly, Wigan are already being written off - with United hot favourites to win what would be the 25th trophy of manager Sir Alex Ferguson's reign.

Yet Wigan have defied the odds all season, and Jewell is determined his players go to the Millennium Stadium not just to make up the numbers.

"It's a cup final no one expected us to get to, while Manchester United would have expected to get to it," he said.

"But I wouldn't say it's a `no-pressure' game for us, because we haven't approached the season like people gatecrashing a party; we've approached it that we deserve to be here.

"Of course, United are one of the biggest clubs in the world - and it's going to be a great day out.

"But we're not going there just for a great day out; we're going there to try and win it. We are there on merit and we're looking forward to it."

Jewell knows, though, with the game just over four weeks away that he has to concentrate his players' minds on the immediate tasks at hand.

"We have to put it out of our mind for a month," he added.

"We need all the euphoria to die down, because we've an FA Cup tie against Manchester City on Saturday and an important league game against Everton on Tuesday.

"So there's a lot of vital games to be played before then, and a lot can happen between now and February 26."